Web Survey Bibliography
Title Optimizing the Decennial Census for Mobile – A Case Study
Author Nichols, E. M.; Hawala, E. O.; Horwitz, R.; Bentley, M.
Source Federal Committee on Statistical Research Conference (FCSM), 2015
Year 2015
Access date 11.08.2016
Full text PDF (849 kB)
Abstract
The U.S. Census Bureau is committed to offering an Internet response option for the 2020 Census. We expect the majority of self-responses to come in through this medium. Decennial census field tests, such as the 2012 National Census Test and the 2014 Census Test, have used an online instrument to collect data in preparation for the 2020 Census. However, testing conducted through 2014 used online instruments that were designed for optimal view on a desktop or laptop. Although these surveys could be answered on tablets or smartphones, the design was not optimized for these smaller devices. On some mobile devices the screen display was very small and required the user to zoom or make other manipulations to enable the user to clearly read and answer the questions.
Mobile - ownership statistics show that, as of 2014, over half of adults owned a smartphone and some adults were dependent upon their smartphone for Internet access. These smartphone-dependent adults were more likely to be lower income, younger, and minority (Pew Internet Project, 2014). With the growth of mobile device ownership overall and the differences in device-dependent Internet access across subpopulations, the Census Bureau realized it must offer a responsive design for the online Census. That is, the questions and response categories must render optimally on the device, whether it is a large desktop computer or a small smartphone. A responsive design was developed for the 2015 Census Test. This means there was an optimized design for smaller devices such as smartphones and small tablets, and for larger devices such as large tablets, laptops, and desktops. Usability testing was conducted on different devices prior to fielding the survey.
This paper discusses the style rules we used to develop the mobile-optimized version of the 2015 Census Test instrument, and the issues that arose during usability testing. Additionally, we present device usage, completion time, and break-off data from the non-optimized 2014 and optimized 2015 Census Test online instruments. The two tests occurred in different geographic regions of the country with different population characteristics. So the typical usability metrics of time-on-task and task completion presented here to evaluate the effect of optimization are limited by sample confounds.
This paper discusses the style rules we used to develop the mobile-optimized version of the 2015 Census Test instrument, and the issues that arose during usability testing. Additionally, we present device usage, completion time, and break-off data from the non-optimized 2014 and optimized 2015 Census Test online instruments. The two tests occurred in different geographic regions of the country with different population characteristics. So the typical usability metrics of time-on-task and task completion presented here to evaluate the effect of optimization are limited by sample confounds.
Access/Direct link Conference Homepage (abstract) / (full tex)
Year of publication2015
Bibliographic typeConferences, workshops, tutorials, presentations
Web survey bibliography - 2015 (291)
- Taking MARS Digital; 2015; Melton, E.; Krahn, J.
- A Comparison of the Effects of Face-to-Face and Online Deliberation on Young Students’ Attitudes...; 2015; Triantafillidou, A.; Yannas, P.; Lappas, G.; Kleftodimos, A.
- A Privacy-Friendly Method to Reward Participants of Online-Surveys; 2015; Herfert, M.; Lange, B.; Selzer, A.; Waldmann, U.
- Doing Online Surveys: Zum Einsatz in der sozialwissenschaftlichen Raumforschung; 2015; Nadler, R.; Petzold, K.; Schoenduwe, R.
- Are Fast Responses More Random? Testing the Effect of Response Time on Scale in an Online Choice Experiment...; 2015; Boerger, T.
- The impact of frequency rating scale formats on the measurement of latent variables in web surveys -...; 2015; Menold, N.; Kemper, C. J.
- Investigating response order effects in web surveys using eye tracking; 2015; Karem Hoehne, J.; Lenzner, T.
- Implementation of the forced answering option within online surveys: Do higher item response rates come...; 2015; Decieux, J. P.; Mergener, A.; Neufang, K.; Sischka, P.
- Internet Panels, Professional Respondents, and Data Quality; 2015; Matthijsse, S.; De Leeuw, E. D.; Hox, J.
- Self-administered Questions and Interviewer–Respondent Familiarity; 2015; Rodriguez, L. A., Sana, M., Sisk, B.
- Comparing Food Label Experiments Using Samples from Web Panels versus Mall Intercepts; 2015; Chang, L. C., Lin, C. T. J.
- Translating Answers to Open-ended Survey Questions in Cross-cultural Research: A Case Study on the Interplay...; 2015; Behr, D.
- The impact of gamifying to increase spontaneous awareness; 2015; Cape, P.
- Using eye-tracking to understand how fourth grade students answer matrix items; 2015; Maitland, A.; Sun, H.; Caporaso, A.; Tourangeau, R.; Bertling, J.; Almonte, D.
- Incentive Types and Amounts in a Web-based Survey of College Students; 2015; Krebs, C.; Planty, M.; Stroop, J.; Berzofsky, M.; Lindquist, C.
- Response Rates and Response Bias in Web Panel Surveys; 2015; Boyle, J.; Berman, L.; Dayton, Ja.; Fakhouri, T.; Iachan, R.; Courtright, M.; Pashupati, K.
- Characteristics of the Population of Internet Panel Members; 2015; Boyle, J; Freedner, N.; Fakhouri, T.
- Internet and Smartphone Coverage in a National Health Survey: Implications for Alternative Modes; 2015; Couper, M. P.; Kelley, J.; Axinn, W.; Guyer, H.; Wagner, J.; West, B. T.
- An Overview of Mobile CATI Issues in Europe; 2015; Slavec, A.; Toninelli, D.
- Using Mobile Phones for High-Frequency Data Collection; 2015; Azevedo, J. P.; Ballivian, A.; Durbin, W.
- Willingness of Online Access Panel Members to Participate in Smartphone Application-Based Research; 2015; Pinter, R.
- Who Has Access to Mobile Devices in an Online Opt-in Panel? An Analysis of Potential Respondents for...; 2015; Revilla, M.; Toninelli, D.; Ochoa, C.; Loewe, G.
- Who Are the Internet Users, Mobile Internet Users, and Mobile-Mostly Internet Users?: Demographic Differences...; 2015; Antoun, C.
- A Meta-Analysis of Breakoff Rates in Mobile Web Surveys; 2015; Mavletova, A. M.; Couper, M. P.
- The Best of Both Worlds? Combining Passive Data with Survey Data, its Opportunities, Challenges and...; 2015; Duivenvoorde, S.; Dillon, A.
- Optimizing the Decennial Census for Mobile – A Case Study; 2015; Nichols, E. M.; Hawala, E. O.; Horwitz, R.; Bentley, M.
- App vs. Web for Surveys of Smartphone Users: Experimenting with mobile apps for signal-contingent experience...; 2015; McGeeney, K.; Keeter, S.; Igielnik, R.; Smith, A.; Rainie, L.
- Using Video to Reinvigorate the Open Question; 2015; Cape, P.
- On the Go: How Mobile Participants Affect Survey Results; 2015; Barlas, F. M.; Thomas, R. K.
- The Matrix Lives On: Improving Grids for Online Surveys; 2015; Thomas, R. K.; Barlas, F. M.; Graham, P.; Subias, T.
- Variance Estimation for Surveys from Internet Panels ; 2015; Rivers, D.
- Sensitivity Analysis of Bias of Estimates from Web Surveys with Nonrandomized Panel Selection; 2015; Beresovsky, V.
- Detecting Fraud in a Survey Sample Recruited Online; 2015; Brown, D.; Dever, J. A.; Augustson, E.; Squiers, L.
- Survey Treatments and Response Modes: Bayesian Survival Analysis with Competing Risks; 2015; Minato, H.
- Purposefully Mobile: Experimentally Assessing Device Effects in an Online Survey ; 2015; Barlas, F. M.; Thomas, R. K.; Graham, P.
- Using equivalence testing to disentangle selection and measurement in mixed modes surveys ; 2015; Cernat, A.
- What do web survey panel respondents answer when asked “Do you have any other comment?”; 2015; Schonlau, M.
- On Climbing Stairs Many Steps at a Time: The New Normal in Survey Methodology; 2015; Dillman, D. A.
- Mobile Research Methods: Opportunities and challenges of mobile research methodologies. ; 2015; Toninelli, D. (Ed.); Pinter, R.; de Pedraza, P.
- Effect of Web-Based Versus Paper-Based Questionnaires and Follow-Up Strategies on Participation Rates...; 2015; Kilsdonk, E.; van den Heuvel-Eibrink, M. M.; van Dulmen-den Broeder, E.; van der Pal, H. J. H.; van...
- Polling Error in the 2015 UK General Election: An Analysis of YouGov’s Pre and Post-Election Polls...; 2015; Wells, A.; Rivers, D.
- Cell Phone and Face-to-face Interview Responses in Population-based Sur- veys - How Do They Compare?; 2015; Ghandour, L.; Ghandour, B.; Mahfoud, Z.; Mokdad, A.; Sibai, A. M.
- Collecting Health Research Data - Comparing Mobile Phone-assisted Personal Interviewing to Paper-and...; 2015; van Heerden, A. C.; Norris, S. A.; Tollman, S. M.; Richter, L. M.
- The Effects of Questionnaire Completion Using Mobile Devices on Data Quality. Evidence from a Probability...; 2015; Bosnjak, M.; Struminskaya, B.; Weyandt, K.
- Are Sliders Too Slick for Surveys? An Experiment Comparing Slider and Radio Button Scales for Smartphone...; 2015; Aadland, D.; Aalberg, T.
- Evaluation of an Adapted Design in a Multi-device Online Panel: A DemoSCOPE Case Study; 2015; Arn, B.; Klug, S.; Kolodziejski, J.
- Maximizing Data Quality using Mode Switching in Mixed-Device Survey Design: Nonresponse Bias and Models...; 2015; Axinn, W.; Gatny, H. H.; Wagner, J.
- Web Surveys Optimized for Smartphones: Are there Differences Between Computer and Smartphone Users?; 2015; Andreadis, I.
- Measuring Political Knowledge in Web-Based Surveys: An Experimental Validation of Visual Versus Verbal...; 2015; Munzert, S.; Selb, P.
- Validation of the new scale for measuring behaviors of Facebook users: Psycho-Social Aspects of Facebook...; 2015; Bodroza, B.; Jovanovic, T.